HC3 Details Healthcare Cybersecurity Implications of AI, 5G, Emerging Tech

As emerging technologies continue to revolutionize patient care, organizations must also consider the healthcare cybersecurity implications that come along with them. The Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center (HC3) issued a brief that explored various emerging technologies, their roles in healthcare, and how each intersects with security.

Specifically, HC3 focused on artificial intelligence (AI), 5G cellular, and smart hospitals, among others.

It is important to note that each of these technologies holds significant promise for revolutionizing healthcare. But like any other emerging technology, users and industries have an obligation to weigh the potential security risks before, during, and after implementation.

“Artificial intelligence is not inherently insecure,” HC3 noted. However, security and healthcare experts have long raised concerns about the potential for security mishaps if AI is handled improperly.

The sheer amount of data that AI algorithms need in order to draw clinical conclusions requires users to consider the security of protected health information (PHI) every step of the way.

Despite security concerns, the benefits of AI in healthcare are plentiful. AI can be used to sift through massive databases of health data and may have applications in mental healthcare and cancer detection.

Implementing AI with caution and knowledge of security risks is crucial to the technology’s success.

In addition to artificial intelligence, HC3 went into great detail about fifth generation (5G) cellular network technology in healthcare. 5G can result in reduced latency and may allow healthcare organizations to better leverage artificial intelligence and telemedicine.

“5G is expected to make telesurgery possible, due to the low latency that it offers as well as its enhancements to robotics, which would then aid surgery,” HC3 explained.

“In the future, language translators will be able to video conference with the patient and doctor using models at the network edge with low latency.”

5G may also facilitate better remote care and encourage Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) use. However, the brief pointed out that 5G-enabled healthcare technologies and IoT devices share many of the same security risks.

Operators must navigate securing devices as they connect to the network and ensuring the trustworthiness and resilience of IoMT software and firmware development. In addition, organizations should have processes in place for conducting vulnerability testing on 5G devices and regularly updating software.

HC3 also addressed the rising popularity of smart hospitals, which rely heavily on digital connectivity and feature real-time processing and access to data. The benefits of smart hospitals include efficient disease prevention and care and improved long-term disease management.

“As 5G (and future cellular generations) and Artificial Intelligence are components of smart hospitals, many of the security considerations that applied to those areas also apply to smart hospitals,” HC3 said.

For example, smart hospitals must consider the confidentiality and security of PHI and must ensure the resilience of data pipes. Additionally, continuous monitoring and inventory management will likely prove crucial to maintaining security within smart hospitals.

With security best practices in mind from the start, these emerging technologies can all allow greater efficiency, accuracy, and precision in healthcare.